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Bogus meter installers prowl suburbs

The Tshwane metro council warns residents against robbers who claim to be smart electricity prepaid meter installers.

Thieves masquerading as electricity smart prepaid meter installers are prowling Pretoria’s suburbs, the Tshwane metro police warned on Monday.

Spokesperson Selby Bokaba said: “It has come to our attention that a group of men have been going around suburbs, particularly in the east of the city, robbing customers while posing as smart prepaid meter contractors.”

The metro recently embarked on a drive to install smart electricity prepaid meters throughout the city, beginning with estates in the east.

Bokaba said the criminals were visiting residential areas where the roll-out was taking place.

“They produce fake proof that they work for the metro council and once they gain access to the property, they rob the customers.”

He said all meter installation activity for residential customers was conducted on the street and no access was required to customers’ homes or boundary area.

“Where a meter is within the customer’s boundary or inside the house, the metro council will make arrangements to relocate the meter into a street side enclosure.”

Bokaba said the metro council would send contractors to each property on the day of the switch, to install a customer interface unit.

“But this will only happen in April/May this year and a separate process will be put in place to advise customers of this activity.”

Legitimate installers could be identified by an ID card which has their name, photo and South African identity number printed on it. Bokaba said their vehicles would also have magnetic contractor badges attached to them.

“When in doubt, customers are urged to call the Total Utility Management Services (TUMS) call centre on 012-943-9950 to confirm the identity of the installer or to call the police.”

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